Waitress Is Making Broadway History

Waitress Is Making Broadway History

The upcoming stage adaptation of indie darling Waitress will break new ground on Broadway with its all-female creative team, a first for a musical.

The traditional definition of a musical’s creative team is: book writer, choreographer, composer, and director. The adaptation of the 2007 indie film will hit the stage in March of next year with a book by Jessie Nelson, composed by Sara Bareilles, directed by Diane Paulus, and choreographed by Lorin Latarro.

"It’s a historic and long overdue moment for Broadway and I’m honored to be working alongside such passionate and inspiring women," Paulus told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement.

The film Waitress follows Jenna (Kerri Russell) as she struggles in an unhappy marriage to a domineering man. Her only escape is making pies based on her life, for which she displays a special talent. After she gets unexpectedly pregnant, a pie baking contest represents her best chance for a new life.

Waitress follows in the footsteps of 1978 musical Runaways; Elizabeth Swados wrote the book and score as well as directing and choreographing. Fun Home, an adaptation of a book by Alison Bechdel, became the first musical to take home the top Tony with an all-female writing team, the book and score were by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori.

The musical adapation of Waitress will star Jessie Mueller as Jenna. Also playing prominent roles are Eric Anderson, Christopher Fitzgerald, Drew Gehling, Kimiko Glenn, Dakin Matthews, and Keala Settle. Previews begin March 25, 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. The show opens April 24.